New Year’s Appetizers

Posted on December 30, 2017 by Carmen

Appetizers are a fun and unique way to get creative and try new foods. So many wonderful shapes and combinations that you can experiment and play with. You can have a little bit of everything without overindulging or eating too much!

They are a wonderful way to provide snacks for your New Year’s (or other holiday) celebrations, without a lot of work. Here are some quick and easy appetizers recipes (dairy and sugar free) to try that are delicious and satisfying without the worry of not being healthy or having that heaviness in your stomach after.

New Year’s Appetizers

Mushroom Turnovers

My absolute favorite appetizer these savory pastry type appetizers are rich and delicious! I love the sour cream (dairy free) in the dough. Just gives it that little extra richness.

Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Love the ease of these little guys, just a little bit of chopping and you can have them ready to serve in 10 minutes!

Macaroni Bites

Perfect for the macaroni lover these creamy little bites are easy and delicious. Plus they are super cute.

Pizza Bites

I have to admit the first time I made these I thought they would be a bust – quinoa in a pizza recipe? They turned out fabulous! And I love that you can vary the combinations of what you put it in. Gluten free, and great for kids as well.

Kale and Artichoke Dip

What party is complete without a yummy dip! This warm, cheesy and delectable dip is dairy free and perfect for that cracker or tortilla chip. Plus with kale being a superfood, this makes it even better.

To Drink Gingerbread

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Carmen

I know Christmas is over. And New Year’s is done too. And this is really something more suited to the Christmas season. But I couldn’t resist posting this martini I created over the holidays. Yes I created it!

I was on a gingerbread kick over Christmas, looking for different ways to enjoy this delectable Christmas flavor. I had already discovered and tested gingerbread waffles, gingerbread muffins and of course gingerbread cookies (classic). Earlier this Fall I was delving into the martini world, trying some Halloween ones, pumpkin one, and a few others. I thought there must be a gingerbread one I can make.

So I hopped on Pinterest, my new favorite go to for recipes and looked it up. I found a number of recipes but most of them had Baileys in it and I wanted to avoid the dairy. There were some that were almost but not quite. So I decided to experiment, I took parts that I liked from different recipes and combined and adjusted them, creating my own version of the gingerbread martini. Dairy free, not quite sugar free, there’s just a teensy bit in it, I tried to get it completely sugar free but couldn’t quite do it (maybe down the road I’ll figure it out get it completely sugar free). Though honestly you would never know, this is a very sweet martini and extremely delicious.

Once I got all the components right and tried it, I phoned my Mum to share. She immediately wanted the recipe and went to try it herself. 20 minutes later she phoned back with one word, “Yum”.

Now I realize it is not the Christmas season when gingerbread is most popular but I could not sit on this delectable recipe for an entire year! Besides isn’t gingerbread good any time of year? Valentine’s? or Christmas in July.

Give it a try. If you like gingerbread you’ll love this. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Martini

1 1/2 ounces (3 tbsp.) vodka

1 ounce (2 tbsp.) gingerbread syrup*

1/2 ounce (1 tbsp.) Creme de cacao

1/2 ounce (1 tbsp.) unsweetened coconut milk (I used Silk unsweetened coconut milk)

Put all ingredients in a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake to mix. Pour into martini glass. May adorn glass with mini gingerbread cookie if desired.

*Gingerbread Syrup

Gingerbread Syrup

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. coconut sugar

4 tbsp. barley malt

1 tsp. ground ginger or 1-2 drops Ginger essential oil

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon or 1-2 drops Cinnamon Bark essential oil

In a small saucepan, mix together water, coconut sugar, barley malt, ginger and cinnamon (If using essential oils for your spices do not add these here). Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. If using essential oils, stir these in now. Measure your drops in a teaspoon (just in case you get one too many!) and stir in. Taste to ensure you have the amount of spice you’d like – add another drop if desired. Let syrup cool before using in drink. May be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To Dip or not to Dip?

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Carmen

There’s nothing like a good dip at a party! Something warm, cheesy and delectable to dip that cracker or tortilla chip in. Yum! Of course there are lots of other yummy dips that are served cool and aren’t as heavy or dense as the cheesy ones. In fact I have discovered some great ones over the past few months, usually from sampling at Community Natural Foods, our local natural food store, such as a sweet carrot dip and spinach dip.

I think dips make great snacks, not only are they good at parties but they are also great for that late night munching, especially if you are looking for something a little more healthy. Things like hummus, black bean dip and the above veggie dips are very tasty and satisfying. Though I have to say sometimes I just want a nice creamy, cheesy warm dip, full of flavor and taste!

That’s why when I discovered this yummy dip back in the spring I was in heaven. I was hosting a Pampered Chef party and this was the recipe I chose to try. The original recipe was so full of dairy but I knew I could substitute and it would turn out fantastic. And I was right, it was fantastic!

I was so pleased that I now had a yummy dairy free creamy cheese warm dip to make (I know that’s a mouthful). It is a super simple recipe, done all in your microwave (though I am not a huge fan of making it in the microwave I have yet to figure out how to get around that). It takes no time at all to make. It’s a great dip for parties, snacking or New Year’s Eve gatherings, made with ingredients that you’ll likely have around at home (unless this is your first recipe that’s dairy free than maybe not, but trust me the dairy free version is worth it and provides lots of health benefits. Plus it has Kale, that’s a superfood)

Kale and Artichoke Dip

1 – 12oz jar artichokes, drained

1 – 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts

2 c. Daiya mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 c. grated vegan parmesan cheese (I use Go Veggie Soy Parmesan)

1/2 c. veganaise

1/2 c. vegan sour cream

2 cloves, garlic

3 c. fresh kale leaves, stems removed and torn into pieces

baked pita chips, triscuit crackers or cut up vegetables for dipping

Place artichokes and water chestnuts in a manual food processor. Process until coarsley chopped and place in a microwave safe glass or ceramic covered dish (8×8 square or round).

Add mozzarella, parmesan, veganaise and sour cream. Mince garlic and add to baker, or use garlic press.

Microwave on High for 2 minutes until cheeses begin to melt. Remove from microwave and mix with spatula until well blended.

Place kale in food processor and process until finely chopped. Add kale to cheese mixture and stir in well. Put covered dish back in microwave and cook on High for 2-3 minutes. Stirring halfway through, until hot and bubbly.

Serve immediately with chips or veggies. Serves 30

Momma On The Move

Tag Archives: New Year’s

New Year’s Appetizers

To Drink Gingerbread

To Dip or not to Dip?